


The Black Princess

by LoneName9



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Black Family Madness, Black Family-centric (Harry Potter), Dumbledore doesn’t know what to make of the main character., F/M, History, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Not Beta Read, Slytherins Being Slytherins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:06:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22124962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoneName9/pseuds/LoneName9
Summary: Gemini Black after a lifetime spent in the grind of the 21st century, is reborn in the world of Harry Potter. Twin to Regulus Black a man who dies far to early, youngest sibling to Sirius Black who deserves far better life, she better get to work.Black Madness shenanigans ensue.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy, Regulus Black & Sirius Black, Regulus Black/Bartemius Crouch Jr., Severus Snape/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 65





	The Black Princess

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea what possessed me to start writing this, I was drunk. The original title for this was ‘AH’, sober me is confused.

Her life comes to an end in a flash of light and pain. She supposes if anyone was going to die that day, she was a good candidate. Last of her family, no romantic relationships ether. Just working a job to pay the bills and occasionally hang out with friends in the grind of the modern world.

The world vortex’s into view and a women’s scream greets her the light hits her eyes and she has to close them. She is wrapped up in a blanket and a warm body curls into her. 

“Twins!” Shouts a male voice. She can’t place the voice but least it’s in English but the context are lost on her. 

What is this about twins?

-

Regulus Arcturus Black and Gemini Melania Black, the first twins born into the Black family in centuries were born into early January 1961 to a surprised Orion and Walburga Black. The medi-wizards had somehow only read Regulus and the two parents were woefully unprepared for to have a baby girl. 

Orion had floo’d his parents to get a rush delivery of supplies, who were utterly delighted to have more grandchildren. His brother in law, Cygnus also stopped by with a box of supplies for a little girl as he had three daughters of his own. He had also brought his son, Sirius with him. The two year old looked so happy to be a big brother and clung to his father bothering him to see his baby brother. 

“Sirius,” Orion kneeled to look his son in the eyes. “You know how you were going to have a baby brother?”

The two year old’s grey eyes looks at his father delighted, “Yeah? Am I gonna see Reggie?” 

Orion smiles at the nickname, they had told Sirius the name of his brother months ago. “Yes, Reggie had been hiding a surprise from us Siri.”

“A surprise? Inside momma?” Sirius looks at him curiously. 

“Yes, you’re a older brother twice over Sirius. Reggie was hiding his sister.” 

“I have a baby sister!” Sirius looks like he’s going to vibrate out of his skin in excitement. “Like Cissa?”

“Exactly but she’s a baby, her name is Gemini.” Orion looks at him seriously, “I know I told you that you need to look out for your brother as the oldest but Siri, you need to take special care over your baby sister okay?”

“Of course, papa!” Sirius hugs him, “I’ll protect Gem! Cause she’s the princess!”

-

Gemini was a quiet baby, just following her twins lead for most things. Her mouth could form words she knew but it was hard to get them out of her baby mouth so she just didn’t talk unless she had too. Walking and crawling following her twin, Reggie didn’t mind but Gemini wasn’t sure how she’d tell otherwise.

Magic maybe? She had figured out what world she had been reborn into not terribly long ago. Gem supposes she should have figured out sooner but she was in a various state of shock/confusion over her being a baby again. 

“Sirius Orion Black, you put that down right now!” Screeched their Mother at Siri floating a toy one day mad about something and it all clicked in Gemini’s brain. She was in the world of Harry Potter, born into the Black family, in the height of Voldemort reign of terror. 

Reggie and Siri were destined to die. She had to do something about it.

Reggie was a smart child luckily and years of being told he also has to protect his little sister, has helped. He had some idea that Gemini was using him to gadge for things. It became infinitely easier for her once they had been taught to ‘read’, or Regulus had been taught to read by their Grandmother while Gemini stared at the books.

Magical children books were a mix of what she had remembered of the Grim brothers fairy tales, stories of King Arther and Merlin, and something utterly unique. It was fascinating, Gemini fell in love with reading about the Wizarding world. Their father called her his little raven and she was given more books when she asked for more. 

In her past life, she had studied history in college and it passed on to her life as a Black witch. She had overheard her grandmother being concerned but her grandfather explained that sometimes the Black Madness shows up in unexpected ways. Most days she spent reading by Reggie or bothering Sirius to read to her with his ridiculous that made all three of them giggle.

Of course, it wasn’t all fun and games. Sirius was the heir, Regulus was the second born, and Gemini was to be a proper lady. Her brothers were taught by their Grandfather, Father, and Mother mostly. She was sent of to learn from her Grandmother along side their cousins Cissa and Andy. 

It was mostly alright till Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor in Hogwarts. 

Reggie and her overheard their mother screeching for their rooms upstairs the day after he left Hogwarts. Gemini let out a sigh of relief, she hadn’t changed Sirius’s house. Despite his life probably being infinitely easier if he had just gone into Slytherin. Their grandmother had been very present in their lives and she was born a Macmillan. Her line were always Hufflepuffs. 

Two years later, Gemini and Regulus were going to Hogwarts. Sirius, their brash older brother helped them settle into a compartment. He had told James he shall others once he settled his siblings onto the train. Glaring at any boy who looked at his little sister. She only yawned at his antics, boys were uninteresting. 

Gemini was also mentally much older then the ones her age, she really isn’t sure what he was worried about. 

“Tired, sister?” Reggie asked her after her third yawn.

“Nightmares.” Gemini explained.

“Of Hogwarts?” Sirius grins at his younger siblings, “it’s fantastic Princess, you’ll have nothing to worry about! Trust me.” 

The grey eyes of her twin stare at her, he knows the source of her nightmares. Their sorting, Regulus is pretty sure he is going to be in Slytherin. Gemini is unsure of her own sorting. Could she be a Ravenclaw like her father teases her? Slytherin like her family or a Gryffindor like the brother she agrees with secretly? 

“Gemini, it be fine no matter what house you end up in.” Regulus holds her hand. They’ve always been very touchy, they’re twins so it’s to be expected and he is use to her hiding behind him. 

“Sirius,” Gemini speaks softly to her older brother her own grey eyes shimmer a bit. “Will you abandon us if we get sorted into Slytherin?”

“Never, Gems.” Sirius grins at them, “You guys are stuck with me as your older brother forever!”

She giggled and the rest of the train ride was unremarkable. It was a blur till they stood in the Great Hall in front of the sorting hat.

“Black, Gemini” shouts Professor McGonagall. Gemini sits on the stool, stares at her brother he is next before the hat is placed her head and falls over her eyes a bit.

“Miss Black,” the hat said, “You are certainly a surprise.”

‘Hat’ she says mentally, ‘Don’t tell Dumbledore.’

“Sworn to secrecy my dear,” the hat hums, ‘Now where to sort you? You do have a thirst for knowledge that Ravenclaw would nurture but your ambitions would make you a shoo in for Slytherin. Though underneath all that is a rod of steal, courage to fight to protect your brothers and family, Gryffindor would be a good fit.”

‘I would prefer Slytherin, please.’ She could accomplish her plans in the other houses but Slytherin would be easier. Not to mention, Gemini didn’t want to just abandon Reggie to that house alone. 

“Best be, Slytherin then!” The sorting hat proclaims to the a Great Hall.

The table of green and silver burst into sound, she smiles at her brother and joins her house and waits for Reggie. Sirius waved back when she waved at him and she is happy. Things are going her way.

On Halloween in her first year, after months of searching the room of lost things, Gemini finds the diadem. She knows Fiendfyre will destroy it but that’s not something she can just do so she puts it in her warded jewelry box Uncle Alphord had given to her for her birthday last year. 

The diary and cup will probably be the easiest for her to find next. Bella and Cissa are her cousins after all but distant from her, as they’re all older.

That summer, their Grandmother passes away. She meets Bella and Andy for the first time, they each give her a hug because she is their cousin but Cissa introduces her as the youngest Black sister and invites her to write when she can. 

In her second year at Hogwarts, she tracks down Sirius when Reggie isn’t looking. James Potter is there too but she doesn’t mind. “Brother, I want to send a letter to cousin and was hoping you would join me?”

Sirius looks at her curiously, “Which cousin and why would you possible want me to help?”

“Cousin Andy got married, Sirius.” She explains, Reggie and her had been informed via Mother’s anger letter but Sirius didn’t get the same apparently. “To a Muggleborn, I don’t know his name. Mother is in a fit.”

“She did?” Sirius grey eyes twinkle happily, “That’s great!” 

“Right, anyways I wanted to send a letter of congratulations or a wedding gift to them but I am sure Reggie will catch me doing it. So could you do it for us?” She pleads her older brother.

“Of course, Gem!” He looks offended she even felt the need to plead, “Anything for you Little Sis.”

Sirius of course, finds a way and the first day of summer gives her a letter from Cousin Andy with a Thank you. The next day, Gemini pleads the case to spend time with their Aunt Dorea who had finally come back from the continent. It was coincidental she married a Potter. 

Reggie rolls his eyes at her, but she drags him away from their oldest brother and best friend to just live without their overbearing parents. A couple days in, he’s the most relaxed she has ever seen him.

Reggie and her return home for Yule in their third year to a surprise for her. Her grandfather and father sit her down and explain they want Gemini to pick a husband. Her cousin Andromeda ran off and married a Muggleborn, and they thought that like Cissa it might be better for her to be allowed to pick her betrothal contract. 

They give her a list of names they’re aren’t many that her mother approved of apparently. She crosses off names that she knows are going to have families during Harry’s life. Gemini doesn’t want to erase anyone from existence, not that she wants Harry to actually have to fight Voldemort. Render Riddle mortal and he will die just like everyone else in existence.

The two names left are Barty Crouch Jr. and Rabastian Lestrange. Both destined to go to Azkaban for torturing the Longbottoms, Gemini knows more about Barty as his backstory is a major part of the fourth book. He is also at Hogwarts, he’s a friend of Regulus. From a political standpoint, Crouch is a better choice. The Black family had recent ties to the Lestrange family, admittedly nothing had come from the marriage which might be why Rabastan was on the list.

Gemini asks her Grandfather if she could have more information on Rabastan before she makes her final decision between the two, she doesn’t know him after all. He is four years her senior at Hogwarts in Slytherin and that’s about all she knows about him. Probably a Death Eater already she muses.

Her cousin Bella, who looks more like Andy then Cissa but with a strain of wide like Sirius is the one to take her to formally introduces her to Rabastan. 

“Gem! It’s good to see you again!” Bella greets her with a hug.

“Bella, it’s been too long.” Gemini replies, “I’m so happy it’s you who is introducing me.”

“Of course, cousin. Like I’d let Grandfather take you when I’m here,” Bella’s scoffs and leads her from the transportation room to the tea room. “He tells me your between little Bast and the littler Crouch for your choice of betrothals.”

“Yes,” Gemini looks at her nervously. Not quite sure how to explain it. “Barty is kind of a friend, so he just kind of makes sense. I was surprised to have Rabastan on my list.”

“Rabastan is my choice for you, Gem.” Bella tells her with a quirk of her lips, “I am quite pleased and shocked you are considering it.”

That bit of information, Gemini had not known. Thinking quickly, Bella and her husband hadn’t had children yet and they’ve been married for a decade. The Lestrange family must be pushing for an heir, the pressure on Bella must be immense from her in laws. From the books, she is aware they won’t have any children. The Lestrange line dies with the two brothers. But at the moment, Bella wants Rabastan to get married with the hope Gemini can have children for the family.

Gemini gives her cousin a soft smile, “Well, I’ve seen Rabastan in the common rooms. He is pretty well known for his good looks.”

Bella laughs, “Of course, Gem! Like I would pick someone ugly for the Black Princess.”

“Bella, don’t call me that!” She whines at her. “Who told you was it Sirius or Reggie? I’ve been practicing this spell that will turn their hair pink I have you know.”

Bella ignores her whines and drags her into the room, where the male in question is sitting next to an older version of him. “Rodolphus and Rabastan, this is my cousin Gemini Black. Gemini, you’ve met my husband before and who I hope your husband to be.”

Gemini’s face hears up at that and hisses, “Bella! I’m gonna burn your favorite dress!”

Bella laughs at the threat, the two men look amused at their interaction. Rabastan to his credit takes her hand and kisses her knuckles before standing again. “Well, it’s nice to meet you Miss Black.”

He is quite tall, Gemini muses, Sirius will probably be that tall along with Reggie who already has a good four inches on her. Gemini had somehow inherited a short gene, she tells people who comment on it that Reggie stole her height at birth. Rabastan looks like something out of a muggle magazine or Next Top Model in the future. 

“Pleasure, Lestrange.”

“Rabastan, please.”

“Of course, Rabastan.”

All things considered, they get along well but Gemini can’t help but wonder if he has a Dark Mark already. She can’t like just come out and ask, “got any tattoos?” without sounding like a lunatic. Also, she isn’t honestly sure if him being a Death Eater will be a good enough reason for her mother.

Gemini stalls for more time to decide to her Grandfather, Rabastan taking his NEWTS was a completely reasonable excuse to not want to make such an important stressful decision. 

Bella and Rodolphus look approvingly at her attitude toward it, while Rabastan looks grateful. Bella takes it as Gemini is going to chose Rabastan but she is a Slytherin at heart and uses their family connection to show off to Gemini.

Bella sees an opportunity when Bella takes her around to show off the Lestrange vaults, Gemini loves history and the vault holds some valuable historical relics. When Bella isn’t looking, Gemini steals the cup and places it in her make skin pouch and places the replica she transfigured from a coin in her pocket.

When she returns home the cup joins the diadem in her box, two horcuxes found. Gemini still hasn’t figured out how to destroy them, Fiendfyre still beyond her capabilities.

Winter break ends soon after that and Reggie and her return to Hogwarts.

The first weekend back, Gemini hunts for her brother. Eventually tracking down Lupin the perfect for Gryffindor fifth years to grab Sirius from the dorms, her older brother looks surprised to see her.

“Siri, can we talk privately?” Gemini pleads, widening her grey eyes. He nods and drags her way to an abandoned classroom. She casts a privacy charm and blurts out to her oldest Brother, “Siri, Bella is trying to get me to betrothed to Rabastan Lestrange. Mother approves of the match but I manage to delay it.”

“What!” He shouts in shock. “He’s to old for you! Not good enough for you! What the hell happened over Yule?” He demands angrily. 

“I am of age for such contracts.” She sighs, her age is not the important point and she needs Sirius to understand. “Siri, I don’t want to marry a Death Eater and Rabastan is one.”

He looks even more angry, but approvingly at her admission. For all her silence, Sirius knows her political ideas aline with his from the ways she diverts their mother whenever she starts going on about the Dark Lord, ranging from polite words to destruction of property. Reggie disagrees with her on a number of points but as long as she’s silent about her ideas won’t say anything. Twin solidarity. 

So Gemini continues on, “Unfortunately, that is not enough of a reason to not marry him in the eyes of Mother. The other option I have for betrothal is Barty Crouch Jr. he’s a Slytherin in my year and I think he would be a better option.”

Sirius looks deflated at her having to marry herself off, but recognizes his little sisters got a scheme. “What do you need from me, Gem?”

“Do you know anything I can use on Rebastan that can help me convince Mother?” Gemini asks, “You’ve had all those Heir lessons, she might have given away something that I wouldn’t.”

“I’ll think of something,” Sirius mutters angrily, that is definitely something I can do. “How long have you stalled the decision for?” 

“Summer, said it’s his NEWT s year for him so it’s not a great time to start a betrothal.” Sirius’s snorts at her innocent tone.

Soon after, a rumor spreads thru Hogwarts that Rabastan was gay. Sirius and his friends look particularly satisfied when a Gryffindor seventh year asks him outright in the Great Hall.

Gemini smirks privately and handles this gift, she sends an owl for advice from Cissa on what to do if her betrothal partner likes the same sex and if she had done something to Bella in the past for her to wish this particular fate on her. Cissa informs her fiancé, that her favorite cousin is doomed to such a thing and he approaches Lord Black with the rumors one day. 

Her Grandparents won’t stand for their only Granddaughter being contracted off in such a way, they won’t risk another Andy. Her plan has worked well when she gets a letter from her Grandmother asking if what she thinks of Barty as her betrothal.

Regulus as usually is reading her letter over her shoulder, before he all but drags her out of the Great Hall. 

“Gem, when where you going to tell me Grandfather is already arranging your marriage?” He uttered with a dangerous tone.

“Well,” she squeaked out. “It was Grandfathers birthday gift to me.”

“You’ve known since our Birthday three months ago?” Reggie looks remarkably like Sirius when he’s upset, she notes despite his cold tone of voice Sirius held more fire. “And you didn’t think to tell me?”

“In my defense, I thought you knew?” She offers weakly, “They weren’t exactly hiding it.”

He glares, “Oh and were you going to tell me before or after you offered yourself up to my best friend?”

Gemini pouts at him, “I’m sorry, Reggie. I didn’t mean to keep this a secret from you.”

He sighs, the big softy that he is for her and gives her a hug, “Does Sirius or Barty know?” 

“No, I’ll go inform Sirius after this.” Gemini lies a bit, Sirius knows but Reggie doesn’t know that. She needs a distraction, “Can you ask Barty to meet after lunch? I will tell him myself.”

Sirius, the big oaf that he is laughs at her when she informs him that Reggie is upset she didn’t tell him about the betrothal and don’t like him know that he knew first. Gemini almost breaks out the water works to get Sirius to aware he won’t let Reggie knew, said it was like a prank. 

Then the asshole smirks and tells her she better go inform her ‘future husband’ that they’re getting married. She turns his hair red and nose pink and escapes before he can retaliate. 

Gemini joins Regulus in an abandoned classroom after lunch. He’s dragging Barty, who is looking at him confused. Evidentially, Reggie gave up coming up with a excuse and just used physical force. 

“Hullo, Reggie and Barty.” Gemini sighs, “Thank you for meeting with me.”

Reggie doesn’t say anything but Barty still bewittered with the turn of events greets her. “Gemini, Regulus said you wanted to speak with me?”

“Ah yes,” Gemini stumbles over her words a bit. “So... you know how I’m a Black Lady?”

Barty looks even more confused, his blue eyes darting between Reggie and her. “Yes?”

“So part of that, is I am to be betrothed to someone.” Barty’s blue eyes stare at her, “Lord Black, our Grandfather, is in favor of creating a contract between the two of us.”

Gemini forcers her grey eyes away from him, she has never been involved with someone in ether life time. Having a arrange marriage is fine, with any luck she can direct Barty away from Voldemort.

“I see,” Barty said his voice with a bit of shock shining through. “Regulus, did you know?”

“I just found out myself.” Reggie offers his friend with a shrug, “If anything I would trust my sisters safety with you more so then anyone else.”

“Huh, well alright then.” Barty sounds resigned a bit. 

Gemini cringes, she knows he doesn’t end up with anyone in the books but it also didn’t go in depth into his romantic history. “Sorry, I hope you don’t mind?” 

“It’s fine, Gemini.” Barty reassures her. “I appreciate you informing me.”

“No problem. I’ll see you around.” She runs. Barty and Regulus look like they need to have some sort of discussion.

-

“You want me to marry your SISTER?” Barty said angrily.

Regulus sighs, “You are a good option.”

“Reg, I hate to break it to you.” Barty sneers, “But I’m your boyfriend.”

“I know, Barty. But if it helps, I am pretty sure my sister is using this as leverage for something and doesn’t intend to actually marry you.” He admits. Gemini is a tricky snake who always seems to have a plan, she panicked when he found out. She would have never trusted their Grandparents to keep him informed.

“Good,” Barty said before pressing a swift kiss to the other boys lips.

-

When the summer comes, she confines in her mother she is worried Barty will be like Rodolphus and Bellatrix to infatuated with the Dark Lord to be a good match. It’s an irrational fear, Gemini weaves her tail but her Mother knowingly smiles. Gemini with her worlds implies she and Barty will one day follow Voldemort after all. Walburga adds a clause that they can’t be marked by the Dark Lord till they get married and a contract is signed.

Barty is invited to the house often after that, he spends a lot of time with Regulus in his room. It’s fine, least Reggie has his best friend to keep him company now that Sirius has run away to the Potters. Gemini writes frequently to Aunt Dorea, who she uses to keep in touch with Sirius and Andy. Her family is fractured but seemingly happy.

Bella sends a note of apology to her, she had been unaware of his Rabastan’s playboy ways with the same sex. Despite Bella being a Lestrange now, she was a Black and an older sister though Andy and Cissa are all grown up. Gemini is a reminder of that, a bit purposefully Bella is going to Azkaban soon and it would be nice for the elder to have a few good memories.

An unexpected consequences of her schemes, her father is worried about her. She had never really made any friends of her own and without Regulus to run interference or Sirius to distract them, he noticed she is always alone. Gemini has spent more or less spent most of the summer reading in the library alone with only writing letters to family members as company.

Regulus is his heir now that Sirius has left, so he shouldn’t be focusing on her but on him and Pandora tells him so. He looks even more sad at her words and brushes a hand thru her dark hair, he whispers apologies to her. 

Gemini does not particularly know what to do with Severus Snape, Sirius and his friends had been awful to him but he was fairly unpleasant. 

After his falling out with Evans last year and he has been taken to hanging with people well known to be joining the Dark Lord. Cissa has also asked her to befriend Snape, he is apparently somewhat of a friend with Lucius. To be fair she has also asked Regulus, but he and Barty are busy with Quidditch and something else, so it’s up to Gemini.

It’s well known that Snape is brilliant with potions so she approaches him for potions advice. He looks a surprised at that.

“Shouldn’t you be asking our dear Head of House?” He remarks sarcastically.

“I don’t know if you noticed, Snape.” Gemini said equally sarcastic. “But I’m a Black Lady and I’m not as brilliant as Bella. Slughorn knows I’m not worth ‘collecting.’”

“So why ask me and not your brother or something.” He sneers towering over her.

“Cissa has requested that I become your friend, Snape. So we’re going to be friends” Gemini retorts, her hands on her hips. “Now, do you know how to brew luck?”

From then on, Snape and her meet regularly to discuss potions. Gemini has not been successful with her trials at Fiendfyre so is hoping maybe there is an easier potion. Maybe there would simply have a idea of a potion that would destroy a soul she can inject into the horcruxes along with an acid or something. If nothing else getting a supply of Felix Felicius would be helpful. Snape and her meetings aren’t public, so Sirius doesn’t find out about her new association. 

The night of the willow incident, she sneaks behind Snape and stupefies him when confronted by James Potter. Gemini knows that a life debt benefits Harry if something goes wrong so she doesn’t change that. James just looks bemused as she tells him not to tell Sirius if asked to lie like a rug before she drags an unconscious Snape to the Hospital Wing claiming she found him like that. Snape never finds out Sirius has tried to murder him that night but feels the life debt between him and James. 

James, is Sirius’s brother in all but blood, which makes him her brother as well. She tells him when he corners her about the events that night and cryptically adds a life debt from a a Death Eater might save his life one day. He looks stunned and she escapes.

Sirius looks bewildered when James drags him to tea with his sister as a belayed birthday gift, though that might have been because of the big pink bow James tied around his neck. He looks happy as a dog wagging his tail with James and her getting along. All that was missing was Regulus, but he was wrapped up with a Barty to pay her any attention.

At 15, Gemini goes thru with her plans for gaining the diary.

She visits her Cissa who has married her Malfoy finally, claiming she wants to talk to her about girl things. She is 6 years older but she had always said if Gemini ever needs her, so she asks. The reason for the meeting she tells Cissa is a secret.

“Cousin, I know I’m promised to Barty but,” Gemini blushes. “I’m scared to end up like Bella or Andy rather then like you.” Unhappy arranged marriages, Bella was in love with another man and Andy ran from hers but Cissa the luckiest of them all was in love and was happy with her husband.

She smiles at her younger cousin, “Of course Gem, well first question do you like Barty? It helps that I liked Lucius from the beginning.”

Gemini thinks of the blond hair and sharp blue eyes, when she was a teen a lifetime ago She thinks she would have found him attractive. So she softly smiles and says “I do.”

“Good,” Cissa smiles at her, “Let’s go over the basics on how to win over a man’s Heart! You’ll have him in no time!” 

She sleeps over Malfoy Manor as they having talked late into the night. Before anyone can awaken, Gemini sneaks into the library and steals Tom Riddles Diary to put in her box. Two more to go.

The Gaunt ring would probably be the next easy target she just needs to find where Riddle Manor is. She sneaks out to the muggle library regularly that summer when everyone is distracted. Morning the lost of google, she searches the publicly available city maps and the phone books. Hangleton is all she really remembers about it. Which is not really helpful as she scours muggle maps. 

As much as her past life has helped her, she simply never knew how many parts there was to muggle England. She hopes it’s in England and not like Ireland or something.

Her family pretty much ignores her that summer and the year after isn’t very interesting. Sirius graduates Hogwarts and joins the Aurors. 

Regulus is being pushed by their Mother to join the Death Eaters when the news of Sirius becomes public. Gemini timeline is closing in on her, she has two more horcruxes to find and two years till Regulus death but she still can’t bloody find Riddle Manor.

Their return to Hogwarts was unremarkable except Snape asks to meet her during the first Hogsmeade village visit, she has no reason not to so she agrees. She wraps herself in her black coat and meets him at the Three Broomsticks.

“Snape,” Gemini greets. “It’s unexpected for you to reach out to me like this.”

He raises an eyebrow at her, “A young man asking a young lady on a date? Yes, that is completely unexpected.” 

“This isn’t a date.” Gemini feels her face heat up at the interpretation. She doesn’t think she has read the situation wrong at least. 

“Isn’t it?” He smiles faintly at her a fond look in his eyes. 

Gemini freezes a bit when she realizes this, this is going to completely changed the timeline if it hasn’t already. It hurts to see him so happy, he’s not suppose to be but he is her friend technically speaking she she does want him happy. Snape’s devotion to Lily is a main focal point of his character in the books. She is pretty sure it’s romantic love. She’s staring at him for a bit too long to be polite, her mind spinning in a million directions.

“Don’t worry, Gem.” He said lightly, “I know you have a betrothal with Crouch. I would never want to dishonor you in such a way.”

“Thank you,” She said, trying and failing to shallow her panic.

“You should know however, Crouch is in a relationship with your twin.” He smirks, “it’s somewhat of a open secret with the upper years in the male dorms.”

“I know,” Gemini keeping her voice soft, on guard. “What about it?” If he plans on threatening Regulus, she’ll kill him. Timeline be damned. Sirius will help her hide the body. 

“Nothing,” his eyes shimmer in victory. “Just letting you know I have interest if you are looking for options outside of your unfortunate betrothal.”

“Thank you?” Gemini stays polite, despite wanting to throw herself off a cliff. Her plans had been adjusted to cover for Reggie and Barty’s relationship but if it was that well known that Snape knew then she needs to change her plans. “Changing the subject, how is your apprenticeship going?”

Snape was no closer to coming up with a dementor potion then she was to Fiendfyre, to her despair. She returns to Hogwarts and grabs kidnaps her brother and Barty throwing them into the room of requirement.

“Do you even know the shit position you two put me in?” Gemini voice raises in anger, it sounds a bit like her mother to be honest. 

“Gem, what?” Reggie looks confused, he’s never seen her angry before. Barty has a panicked look on his face.

“Snape said your relationship is a open secret!” Gemini continues, “Who else knows? Snape isn’t using it to blackmail us, right now but if other people know... how long do we have till it reaches our relatives?”

“You know?” Barty squeaks out.

“Do I look like an idiot.” She glares at him. Her wand hand twitches and she casts a blasting hex at the wall to channel her anger. “We need to fix this.”

“I can talk to Grandfather and have the betrothal transferred to me.” Reggie said, having thought about it in the past. “Barty is a pureblood it should be fine.”

“Regulus, that was the plan but we needed to turn 18 first.” Gemini glares at him. “We are 16! There would be no betrothal, our mother will have me married off immediately!”

“Oh,” His grey eyes widen in shock at her implication. “Merlin, what do we do.”

“We? No, you will help me delay our family knowing till Yule break. I will come up with something to clean up your mess brother.” 

What Regulus didn’t know, is Walburga was planning on offering up her son to the Dark Lord that summer. Grandfather might be willing to see the contract between Barty and Regulus but their mother would take the clause out to have them marked or dismiss it entirely. If Gemini is married off, it would leave Regulus alone to their mother’s madness and that is unacceptable. Regulus with a dark mark is death and he isn’t allowed to die, not on her watch.

Gemini, who was once someone else but for the past 16 years she has been a Black and the Black madness has pushed greater people then her into murder in the defense of family before. So she plots how to murder her mother and writes her will incase something unexpected happens. She also needs to make sure someone else knows about the horcuxes.

In November, her career interview is with Professor Slughorn is the perfect excuse to find a cover to see the Headmaster. 

“Miss Black, have a seat.” The Professor said from his desk not looking up at her.

She sits on the chair offered properly, “Professor.”

“So Miss Black, what would you like to do in the future?” He ask politely, already expecting the answer of ‘Housewife’ much like her cousin. It was what was expected of her but the world was changing.

“I would like to get a Mastery in History and perhaps replace Binns one day.” She answers calmly. Her fascination with magical history was as strong as ever, it is an acceptable profession.

Professor Slughorn looks tad shocked by that answer, to be fair he never once approached her while she’s been his student. He coughs to cover his blunder, “Alright, well there hasn’t been any a Slytherin students who gain their Mastery in History in my years here so I am afraid I don’t have the necessary information for getting one. I shall have to ask around.”

“That is quite alright Professor, I am aware of the requirements.” She said putting a small smile on her face, “I will be applying for the universities in the continent more then likely but I need to submit a thesis to do so no matter where I go. I was hoping you might be able to help me with that, Professor.”

“Ah, alright Miss Black, how might I help you with?” 

“Well, one of the topics I am looking at is one of my ancestor who was a Headmaster at Hogwarts.” She smiles, “I heard he was responsible for many changes.”

“Phineas? Well he was a bit of a rebel, much like your older brother Sirius.” She draws him into telling her more stories before he recommends asking Dumbledore for more information as he was his deputy before becoming Headmaster. 

Gemini fakes being nervous as she has never approached the Headmaster before, nor has she been in his office. Slughorn offers to arrange a meeting for her to which she says please and offers a favor. She may not be worthy of his club, but a favor from a Black is something worth gold in its own way.

Gemini carries her box of horcruxes and her notebook with her to the appointment with Dumbledore and enters the office with her pureblood mask in place.

The office resembles what it will look like in Harry’s time, though his Phoenix is missing. Dumbledore sits behind his desk. “Miss Black, wonderful you’re on time.”

“Headmaster, thank you for meeting with me.” She said before tacking on, “I try to not take on my brothers bad habits.”

“Brothers, well I understand that a bit.” He said with a twinkle. She supposes he would, her family must resemble what his was with two older brothers and a young sister. “Moving on, Slughorn mentioned you had questions about Phineas?”

“That was just an excuse, sorry for the deception.” Gemini admits and places the box in front of her. “Headmaster, I have information on Riddle.”

Dumbledore changes from Headmaster to War General in the matter of seconds at her mention of Riddle, she purposefully used Lord Voldemort’s true name for this reason. She is pretty sure he knows it, but Sirius doesn’t so they’re playing it close to the chest. “Miss Black, that isn’t public knowledge. How do you know?”

“No one told me if that’s what your asking.” She hopes he isn’t reading her mind as she opens her box and places the diadem on the desk. “I found this in my first year, it is a horxcux of his then I found a cup with similar magic and finally a diary with the name.”

Dumbledore stares at her and the piece of Voldemort’s soul, looking a bit lost. So she talks, “I know they can be destroyed using Fiendfyre but I can’t do that so I’ve jut been collecting them in hopes of one day being able to use the spell. I’m running out of time however, so I was hoping you would be able to destroy it?”

He sighs, “Miss Black it seems you did pick up Sirius’s bad habit in getting into trouble.”

She offers him a weak smile, “Well to be fair, I don’t usually get into that much trouble so I figured go big or go home?”

Dumbledore does agree to help her destroy the objects, he can cast Fiendfyre as it turns out. Gemini gives him the pieces of soul in her possession but only after he vows to help her to destroy any of a Riddle’s horcuxes. This Dumbledore is much younger then Harry’s and that one couldn’t resist the temptation of the ring. She tells him that it is weird that Tom has chosen two impersonal objects and one extremely personal one, so to look out for Slytherin heirlooms. 

To her shock, Dumbledore let’s her go back to the dorms and go back to normality. Instead of what she had imagined like interrogating her under a truth serum. She receives a letter of thanks, 30 points to her house for her bravery, and a attached letter from Sirius. Who is confused as to why he is being allowed to write to her now but is pleased. 

Now that it’s been taken cared of, all Gemini has to do is poison her Mother during Yule. She is lucky that she had those conversations with Snape, her potion skills are up to par for the plan. Walburga weakness other then pride was her love of Sherry and it took about a week during Yule for her Mother to kneel over from liver failure. 

Well it wasn’t an unexpected death, after they tucked Father into bed after the funeral their relatives accepting of the reports. The only one who knew she might have had any hand in it, was her twin who had not uttered a word since. Grandfather called Sirius to return not for her funeral but for their father who asked for him. 

That evening Regulus dragged her into his room and punched her in the face. Tears streaming down his face and rough voice uttered. “How could you?” 

Gemini took the punch and hugged her brother, he trembled under her arms his arms came around her as he cried into her hair. They were twins but he stood taller then her and had wider shoulders, no longer mirrors of each other. “I’m sorry, Reggie.she whispers to him, she isn’t sorry for the death but for causing him such pain.

She moved him over to the bed and offered a weak, “Call off Keathure while I floo call for Barty, I don’t want you to be alone.”

He does so she makes her way to the fireplace and calls out for the Crouch Residence, “Barty, something has happened can you come?”

“Yes.” He said and she moves out of the way as he comes thru. He’s dressed in his casual robes.

“Regulus needs you.” She tells him, “He is in his room.”

He runs to join his lover and she is alone again. With lack of better to do Femini goes back to her favorite spot in the library and reads her old fairytales till it’s noon the next day. The house elf leaves food for her and she sleeps in the old chair. 

No one really looks for her till the new year, and of course it would be Sirius who finds her. With Walburga is gone, their Grandfather had tracked him down and drags him back home. Of course, this is when Orion and Regulus was turning the house upside down looking for her when they realized they haven’t seen her in a week so they’re both roped in to her search as well. 

Sirius looks older then he did last time they saw each other despite their frequent letters, she probably looks dirtier and strange to him but that doesn’t stop him from sweeping her into his arms immediately.

“Oh, Gem.” He whispers into her hair. “It’s okay.” 

She doubts he has any idea what is going on but she lets his voice wash over her and she cries into his chest till she is tired and he is only thing holding her up. 

-

Sirius looks down into the dark hair of his sister, Gem has never been much of a crier even as a baby. Reggie always had been the attention grabber of the two, she just followed in his footsteps for most of their lives. Her rare instances of being an individual from her twin only happening as they got older. Gem reaching out to Andy and calling James another brother because of him are shining examples of that.

She’s almost sleeping standing up, he muses and he picks her up Princess style. Gem is lighter then he expects he notes sadly, he wonders how much everyone has missed looking when they had spent more time looking at him and Reggie. He brings her out of the library and walks to her room, their Father looks relieved that the house hasn’t eaten his only daughter and distraught that this has even happened in the first place. 

Regulus opens the door to her room, and to their shock it looks the same as it did the last time they looked in her room years ago. Sirius and Regulus had decorated their walls and changed things up to suit their personality but Gemini just left her blue walls bare, the room felt impersonal. He put her down in her bed and Father tucked her in. Regulus ordered a house elf to not allow her to leave the room, they didn’t want her disappearing again.

They rejoined Grandfather in the kitchen and they sat around staring at each other. Sirius, forever the Gryffindor asks first, “How did you manage to lose my sister for a week when she hadn’t even left the house?”

Orion, their father looks rather guilty but it was their Grandfather who spoke. “Sirius, after Walburga had passed, we found that she had been feeding your father a compulsion potion with unknown effects.”

“She had been doing what!?” Sirius is angry, what has been happening since he left the house. Regulus, who had been told prior still looks rather green at the news.

“Walburga started feeding me the potion for years, Sirius. I suspect it was because she was jealous of my worry over Gemini in her fourth year.” His face looks stricken with grief, “I had expressed concern over Gemini’s lack of friends or interest in anything outside a book. Walburga didn’t react well and I suspect she was jealous that she wasn’t the only women occupying my mind.”

Well, it wasn’t exactly a secret that Walburga was twisted but that was extreme. Sirius disgust must have shown on his face because their grandfather sighed. Regulus speaks for the first time, his voice trembling “Did Gem know?”

“I don’t know,” the oldest Black answers. “Sirius, I was hoping you might come home for a bit to take care of your sister or take her home with you? The potion is working it’s way out of Orion slowly, we hope by summer he can make a full recovery but till then. Gemini needs someone who will remember her.”

Sirius processes that information, his fathers word son protecting his sister ringing in his head. “I’ll take her for the rest of Yule, I’ll go make arrangements give me a few hours.”

He apearates to the flat he shares with his three friends, luckily they’re all in. He takes in the mess, Remus was the only one of them who cleaned knew how to clean but despite his best efforts it was very much a bachelor pad. His own room isn’t that bad, it will be live able enough for Gem for the next week before she has to go back to Hogwarts at least. 

“Guys, my sister is coming to stay with us for the next week.” He offers his winning grin, “She is going to be sleeping in my room and I’ll sleep on the couch but please limit nighttime visitations. I’d hate to murder the person who tells my little sister about sex.”

The three stare at him. “I demand an explanation, Padfoot!” Shouts James so he tells them what happened. Peter offers to stay with his parents to give her more space for Gem, Remus goes on a cleaning spree, and James goes with him to pick her up. 

-

Gem as really not sure on what to expect when her Grandfather told her she was going to be staying with Sirius for the last week of Yule but a spotless flat wasn’t it. 

“Sorry, I may have gotten over zealous with the cleaning.” Remus says apologetic.

“It’s fine? Least Sirius’s dirty pants aren’t stuck to any ceilings.” James laughs and Sirius barks a hey at her.

Sirius was able to take off work to accompany her that week because of the family emergency, while James and Remus had to go to work but it was nice. She had missed her older brother, he dragged her around the muggle world and took her to see cousin Andy when she asked. Cousin Andy was overjoyed to see them, Gem finally got to meet Andy’s family and was tackled by Andy’s daughter. Her husband, Ted, insisted on getting a picture of the family reunion which now stood proudly in a frame on their mantlepiece.

Cissa sent off a worried owl to her, Grandfather had Walburga buried quickly without fanfare but he did have to inform her brother who was Cissa’s father. Snape also sent her a letter with his condolences having found out thru Cissa and invited her on another date. She didn’t tell Sirius who had sent the second letter so he found it slightly worrying when broke out into slightly hysterical laughter.

After the disaster of a Yule break, she returns to Hogwarts having taken the timeline and smashed it to pieces. Sirius has made up with the rest of the family with Walburga out of the picture. Orion is regularly visiting the Healers, so she suspects whatever killed him won’t happen as early as it did. Three of the five containers of Riddles soul have been destroyed. Regulus and Barty can’t take the Dark mark till they get married, so her easy way of finding the locket is out. 

Regulus and Barty track her down from her hiding spot in Hogwarts. Regulus apologies to her for the past few years and thanks her for doing what she did for him. Barty tells her that they came clean to a Lord Black and that Regulus and him are now to be married. She congratulates them, Regulus will get his happy ending she wants to believe. He looks so happy to be open with Barty.

Oh, and the loyal Death Eater Severus Snape who is suppose to still be in love with Lily asked her out on a second date. Gemini accepts the date invitation having just said fuck it to the timeline, might as well see what happens. 

Cissa apparently spilled the beans on her matchmaking scheme with Bella because she gets a owl from the oldest cousin wishing her luck. Also stating she has terrible luck on picking a straight man so they had apparently made Snape vow he is attracted to women because a third time was utterly ridiculous. It made Gem and Regulus laugh out loud in the Great Hall, Barty looked on fondly at them.

Gemini wasn’t sure if she wanted to even date Snape. He was a death eater and not that pleasant of a man, but she had been lonely for two lifetimes and she has been fighting in the war since she had been reborn. She got dressed in a winter coat, it was February and it was still pretty snowy. 

He was standing outside the Hogsmade gate, dressed in all black per his normal.

“Snape,” she greets him when she reaches him. He sends her a smile before offering his arm to he which she takes.

“Gemini, would you mind me side-appearting you to our date?” He asks her kindly.

“Alright.” She agrees and with a pop, Snape has taken them to the Malfoy Gardens. Gemini raises an eyebrow at his odd choice.

“Cissa, also asked for us to drop by so this is the first stop.” He explains before he leads her into the manor.

“Cissa?” Gemini whispers a bit confused but allows him to lead her. Once inside, she is gathered in her cousins arms, blond hair in her face. 

“Gem, I’m so sorry.” She cries into her shoulder, Gemini ill-prepared to deal with a crying women just holds her cousin.

“Cissa,” She whispers. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“I know what your Mother did and I can not believe we didn’t see it sooner.” Her cousin states angrily. “I’m glad you are alright, Gem. I am sorry I couldn’t get you out of that place.”

“It’s okay, Cissa.” Gem closes her eyes, “The past is the past.”

“It is which is why I wanted to make it up to you,” Cissa pulls away from her. “Walburga spoke to me of your worry about the Dark Mark causing marital issues like with what happened with Bella. Which is why the clause was added to the contract with Barty. Then I set you up with Sev, who already has a mark.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that.” She lies, she knows Snape is a Death Eater but no one as told her In this lifetime. To add to her lie, Gem stares down looking sad.

“I know and I still set you up with him.” Cissa’s husband coughs somewhere in the background. “After what happened, it’s reasonable fear for you to have to be forgotten so I asked Lucius for help to get reassurance from the Dark Lord that the mark should not have any interference on relationships.”

“We weren’t sure if you would believe us though.” Lucius joins the conversation, “So Bella helped us plead the case to our Lord to speak to you and Severus privately to try and help settle your fears.”

“You what.” Gem’s head snaps up to look at the room in shock, they’re all smiling at her.

Snape takes her hand and says reassuringly, “Gem, it’ll be alright. Please we only want to take care of you.”

Well, short of Merlin himself bringing down the manor, she doesn’t think she has a way out of this. So Gemini steels herself, bringing forth her memories of researching the library for anything similar to the Dark Mark and her worries over it. The only way out was through. “Alright, so when am I meeting him?”

“Now, he is in the main study.” Lucius states, “Severus will take you so just follow him.”

“Thank you, for thinking of me Cissa.” She tells her cousin who looks like she might cry again. “Also, thank you Lucius, I appreciate this.”

Snape leads her to the main study, he throws open the door with magic and leads her inside. “My Lord, may I present Miss Gemini Black.” He announces to the room.

A older man, who looks like she can only guess is Voldemort. He kind of resembles what he did in the movies but not at he same time, it’s very odd. The male is sitting at the table with a few books around him, he gestures for Snape to close the doors. “Miss Black, my followers have told me many stories of you. It is nice to finally put a face to the name.”

She blinks in surprise, “You have? I am not all that interesting.”

“Ah yes, Bella is quite proud of you.” Well that makes sense she muses, Bella is pretty talkative. “Moreover, I heard you had concerns about the Dark Mark and it’s influence on the mind. Normally I would never discuss the details of it but my followers have informed me of what Walburga did to her only daughter.”

He hands her a book, “This is the book I used as reference when creating the mark, which Lucius was kind enough to find a copy for you.”

She takes the book, “Thank you, my Lord.”

“I would also like to reassure you. There isn’t an element of mind control in the mark.” He puts lightly, “I don’t think anything short of a full obliviate will erase your existence from Severus mind, he is a master at the mind magic.”

She acts surprise, but she keeps her voice steady. “I did not know that, my Lord. Thank you.” 

“Good, well I shall see you in a few years Miss Black.” He dismisses her and Snape leads her from the room.

Gemini’s mind is in various states of shock, so she lets Snape lead her back to her family. She needs something to break her train of thought or she’s going to go back into hysterics. So she stops, Snape arches an eyebrow at her but turns toward her. “Gemini?”

She mentally swears at herself before she steps close to him and tip toes then presses her lips to his. His dark eyes look at her wide when she pulls away before he catches her and kisses her hard. A hand trends into her hair and another on her hip as they crash together. She opens her lips and Severus uses this opportunity to slip his tongue in, her one free hand are gripe his robes. Gemini focuses on him and the kiss, it stabilizes her away from the hysteria.

They break for air and he holds her close, “Well I didn’t expect that.” He rumbles above her. 

“Well, what’s a date without a snog?” Gemini face is a bit red before realizing they’re still in Malfoy Manor. “Oh Merlin, I need to face Cissa after experiencing that. She’s going to want all the details.”

“Oh?” Severus said pulling away from her a bit to get a look at her face. “Why do you have to tell her?”

“Swore I’d tell her how my first kiss went...” Gemini is regretting that late night promise. 

But Severus smiles down at her apparently he did not anticipate that answer. “That was your first kiss?”

“Who else would it have I kissed.” She tells him pulling herself away from him. “I don’t know if no one has informed you yet Severus but I’m a bit of a hermit and everyone forgets me. But let’s go find Cissa, last thing I need is another family search party because no one remembered me for a week.”

“They forgot you for a week?!”

The rest of the date goes well she supposes, Severus escorts her back to Hogwarts holding her hand. Gemini allows it her day had been infinitely more stranger then she had been expecting. Clutching the book with the secrets of the Dark Mark close to her, she went directly to her dorm and cast a privacy charm on her bed before cracking open the book.

The Dark Mark was a modified Protean charm using soul magic. Gemini is unsurprised that it’s soul magic, he had after all created horcruxes. The Dark Lord wasn’t exactly wrong only misleading, the book was indeed not about mind magic but the mark did in fact effect the soul. The Protean charm worked, because the casters will was imposed on an inanimate object in the Dark Marks case, he is impressing his will onto a person or rather into the arm bone. It’s not mind magic, but his will does influence the person.

This is why the inner circle had no spies, to even take the mark you had to be loyal or your soul would reject the mark and Voldemort would know right away. Of course ,you can change your mind after taking the mark. 

Part of the magic of transfiguration is that you have to know exactly what you are trying to transform, you can’t just cast it blindly. Everyone has been unsuccessful at removing a Dark Mark because they didn’t understand it. But Gemini understood now, she could remove it with a simple transfigurations spell meant for when you messed up a spell.

She sends a letter of to the Headmaster with her findings, to which he summons her to his office using Slughorn after potions class.

“Miss Black,” the Headmasters eyes twinkle. “I’m beginning to think you are more surprising then your older brother.”

She shrugs not quite sure how to respond. “It’s nothing, Headmaster.”

“Last time we spoke, you handed me three objects to destroy. I would like to let you know I have taken care of them.” His voice goes hard, “Additionally, your speculation on something personal was proven correct. My associates and I recovered a Gaunt ring and destroyed that piece.” 

“Thank you,” Gem is grateful, she can see no black hands so he was not effected by the curse. Four down, one more and his actual person. “I am relieved to here that.”

“Miss Black, no thanks are needed. You have been extremely helpful in the War effort.” The twinkle in his eye reappears. “Now I must ask, why did you send me information on the Dark Mark and what can it do for me?”

“Well, it explains why none of your associates are able to become spies on Voldemort so you should refocus your efforts on known members who might be willing to twist with the leverage that you know how to remove it at the end.” She states rather matter in fact, “Additionally, Headmaster now that you have the knowledge you should be able to interact with the magic of the mark. Since part of the modification is a master key, aa he didn’t mark himself and needs to use different members.”

“I see,” he murmurs, “Well Miss Black, thank you for your help with the war effort once again.”

“No thanks needed, Headmaster.” She retorts, “My ideas have always fallen more in-line with Sirius then the Dark Lords. Everyone should be allowed to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness no matter their blood.”

His eyebrow raises at her using a muggle American basic human rights but doesn’t comment on it.

“Best wishes, Headmaster. I have some tough charms homework to do.”

“Of course, Miss Black.” She stand and turns to leave, “Miss Black, expect a letter asking you to join my associates after you graduate next year.”

“I’d be honored.”

The rest of the school year goes quickly after that. There are no additional dates with Severus, he had sent a letter apologizing that he can’t make it to the next Hogsmade weekend as he is busy with his apprenticeship. To her surprise in May, she gets a invite to the wedding of James Potter and Lily Evans to which replies she’ll be there.

Being home for the summer is odd for Gemini, her Father doesn’t quite know how to treat her so he does this awkward hovering thing for a week before she gets tired of it. She needs to concentrate to write her thesis.

“Father,” she calls out to him. “Can you please stop hovering around me? I’m trying to write.”

He takes this as an invitation and asks “What are your writing?”

“My entry thesis for the university,” she explains, not sure if he remembers or if it’s even been mentioned to him. “I want to study history, so I need submit my papers and with any luck it will be picked up for further research.”

Fathers grey eyes scan the books on her desk, looking older then ever. He didn’t know, she guesses. “I had no idea you were intending to pursue additional education after Hogwarts. Did you tell your Grandfather?”

“No, he and Grandmother were the ones who gave me the idea.” She admits, “when grandmother passed she left me a vault for such purpose.”

“It has been many years since we’ve had an academic in the family,” he muses aloud. “Well, is there anything I can do to help? What is the topic of your thesis?”

“The international Stature of Security and the greater implications on the magical society.” At his blank stare, Gemini continues with her line of thinking. “So far, I’ve been pursuing two ideas one of which is arguing that it needs to be more progressive rather then reactive like in the past, which I can support using the various times we have had to change the laws.”

“The other idea I have been looking at is how ‘hiding’ ourselves has stifled magic.” She admits, “comparing the progress we have made since the Stature was put in place using the same research as my first idea. The idea that we must hide, means we are not free to explore different magical ideas because there unexplainable without magic.”

Her Father silently ways her words, “That is quite a topic, Gem.”

“It’s a work in progress.” She shrugs, “I’ve got a few months to cement the idea before I send it off but with this my NEWTS year, I really need my rough draft before school starts off again.”

“I see, well I shall do my best to leave you alone to work but I want you to show up to meals.” He pats her on the head and walks out muttering about independent daughters.

So she does and practically lives in the Black Library to the dismal of everyone for that summer. Cissa being the only person to drag her out of the house because she won’t just take ‘no’ for an answer on why Gemini hasn’t answered any letters. One of Cissa’s outings was her throwing Gemini into Severus’s arms with strict orders to not let her read anything for four hours to her bemusement. 

“Hello Sev,” she tells the male holding her. “Sorry about Cissa, she is in a mood.”

“That is quite alright.” His voice deeper then expected, “I didn’t expect for Cissa to throw you at me when I inquired about you earlier.”

“Cissa, has been on my case about why I’ve all but locked myself in the house this summer.” Gem explains, “I’m trying to get my research done andmy thoughts together before I head to Hogwarts.”

“Which explains why Cissa ordered no reading for you, I assume.” His hands moving down to the small of her back from her shoulders when he caught her. “Well I know of something we could do that doesn’t require reading.”

Her face turns red, “I don’t think I’m ready for that.” 

“My gem has a dirty mind.” He teases her, before pulling her closer to his body. “I already said I’d do nothing to bring you dishonor. Come with me, let me show you my research.”

“Oh, have you made any new breakthroughs for your Mastery?” Gem says flushed still and let’s him lead her further into his home. 

“A bit.” He said mysteriously. For a potions mastery, he was required an apprenticeship to a master and crafting a new potion that must be inspected by the ICW board of potion experts. During his final years at Hogwarts he had gotten started on his research, he bounced some ideas with her when they talked. “I made progress on something you had asked me about that I can’t use for my mastery.”

She looked at him confused, “We’ve talked about many things you can’t use for your mastery, can you be any more mysterious?”

“Yes, I can.” He smirks at her. Gemini stares at him as he dragged her into his bedroom she assumes from the bed. 

“Is there something I can do to get you to be less mysterious?” She raises her eyebrow at him. “Or am I going to have to do something equally mysterious to get a straight answer?”

“Did you have something in mind?” Snape said with a challenge in his voice. 

She scowls at him looking up at him, “Sit, you tall git.”

His lips quirk at her and he sits on the bed in front of her, he is about eyes level to her chest. She gathers her wit and moves between his knees, her hand threads thru his hair tilting his head up. His dark eyes sparkle at her and she kisses him. His hands on her hips as she controls the kiss with him. Its much better then the last kiss where she kissed him to ground herself, this kiss is power and control like if she had taken control of his dark mark.

Then it’s over, their lips break apart. She looks at him, her grey eyes reflected in his darker ones. Gemini knows, he is not a nice man and for all he is kind to her he is not a good man. His redemption arc is supposed to be his love for Lily, hailed as a hero for it instead of the Death Eater he is. The gressy hair isn’t suppose to feel nice nor his hands on her hips. She isn’t suppose to be here at all, but she is and trying to fix this broken world they’ve been born into. 

She must look frightened, because he tightened his grip on her hips. “Gem, it’s alright. I’m here and I won’t forget you.” 

Gemini feels like laughing, he thinks it’s been her second shit childhood causing her fear. “That’s not it.” She whispers and takes a leap like she did when she murdered her mother. “Have you ever had that felt something that feels right but you know you probably shouldn’t? I want but I shouldn’t, but at the same time everything in the universe is shit anyways.”

His eyes widen at her admission, he brings a hand to her cheek. “Gemini,” he whispers before lightly presses a kiss to her lips. “If I am what you desire then I won’t let anything stand in the way of that, for all the shit in the universe.”

“Why,” she asked, this cruel man born of pages in a book. In her past life she never was worthy of romantic love and in this life she is not meant to be here. The Blacks are suppose to be beautiful and despite her nickname she is nothing like that. She blends into the background of her shining siblings who deserve a happy ending. 

“I am a selfish man, Gemini.” He wipes a tear from her eye, his eyes pierce into her. “At my weakest, Cissa and Lucius sent me you. A beautiful Gem forgotten by the rest of the world, intelligent and cunning. Everyone forgets but gems are only naturally formed when under the pressure of the earth and you are a diamond.”

Gemini doesn’t know what to say to that, so she sits in his lap and holds him. His arms come around her, assuring her that it is perfectly fine for her to be there. “Thank you.” 

“Of course.” 

She ends up falling asleep on him, which he is perfectly fine with. Severus just maneuvers the two of them under the covers and they nap, waking up to have her in his arms is everything he could have dreamed off.

When she returns home, Gem stares at the dinner in front of her a thought having hit her. “Reggie, how am I suppose to tell Siri that I’m dating Sev?”

The git that is her twin laughs at her. Her father looks bemused at the two of them, it’s the first time he’s seen his daughter act her age.

Gemini does not tell Sirius and she gets everyone who knows sworn to secrecy. Severus is amused when she tells him to not tell Sirius himself, only smirking at her inference that they were in fact dating and making a comment about it. She almost smacked him over the head at that.

The day before they leave for Hogwarts she declares her rough draft done and she makes copies for her Father and Grandfather to read. Sirius had the day off so she bothers him to proofread along with Remus and James with the promise of them owning her back any suggestions they have.

Hogwarts flies by and soon she’s is ready to floo over for James and Lily’s wedding along with the Headmaster, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Slughorn. Its a small but beautiful wedding, there isn’t many people she knows I’m attendance so she sticks to the back. Sirius and a James are happy to have her there and Lily to her surprise gives her a hug and tells her they need to talk sometime. James had left her rough manuscript in the open, Lily read it and has some perspective as a muggleborn to add. She grateful accepts and they set a date for after their honeymoon.

Months go by quickly, Regulus and her make it to their 18th birthday. It is the first birthday that they were able to had to have separate events, breakfast with their Father and Grandfather before leaving for Malfoy Manor for lunch. Cissa hosted the meal with her husband, Bella and Rodolphus sat at the table, along with Barty for Regulus and Severus for her. It was a grand time, Severus gave her a diamond bracelet of unknown origin. She knew he didn’t have the money for it but refused to give her a straight answer as to how he got it for her. After arriving back at home, Regulus and a Barty had plans so Sirius stole her away to have some fun, or getting roaring drunk in a muggle pub before crashing in the Potters front yard. Lily scolded them for what felt like hours. 

Gemini submitted her final draft of her thesis proposal to the Magician University of London Academia. Before the struggle of NEWTS was slammed into her, Barty was losing hair while Regulus muttered under his breath, she kept finding quils she’s lost in her hair. Then it was over and Regulus and her graduated from Hogwarts.

Regulus followed in the footsteps of their Father, studying law while Barty got a job at the Ministry. They had made tentative plans marriage plans the contract in place set their wedding for when they were both 21, so they simply were going to host the wedding on Barty’s birthday.

Gemini paced around the house nervously for a month, unless she was nervously pacing around Cissa’s place or Severus was making her forget her nervous. The perception of her ideas around the Death Eaters was that she was sympathetic to their cause, so they were open around her when she showed up. 

She also joined the Order of the Phoenix to the surprise of Sirius who had no idea, Gemini and Dumbledore were working together. Albus hinted at Sirius did not know about the horcuxes but that she had been vital to working on manipulating the Dark Mark which lead to his new spell of detecting the Dark Mark. Peter looked fairly uncomfortable after that, in the dead of the night she oblivated mentions of her at the meeting and two days later Lucius complained to Cissa that his work on gettin a spy in the order had failed. 

Then, Gemini got her letter of acceptance into University and her paper was published in the International Magical Journal of Historians as a radical young historian out of England. Some claimed it was because she was a Black and they always had a string of madness in them. There were not many historians that would challenge the status quo in the magical world, most were bogged down by facts and telling a story. 

It has caused quite a splash, more then she was expecting. A few days after the publication, Severus asked her to accompany him to Malfoy Manor for a private meeting with their Lord. This time, he brings her to a meeting room where the some members of the inner circle are waiting with the Dark Lord. From a glance Bella, the Lestrange brothers, Lucius, a few people she kind of recognizes from he halls of Hogwarts, and a few she didn’t.

“Miss Black, a pleasure to see you again.” Voldemort greets, his voice tinged with amusement.

“A pleasure as always, my lord.” She bows at him, not looking him in the eye. “You have asked for me?”

“Indeed,” his lips hiss. “Your relatives have been most insightful about the nature of your academic research, Miss Black. On the surface it seems to argue that muggles and wizards are equals when it is really about the decline of traditions and how muggles have damaged the magical world. It was so subtle even I almost missed it. It is quite a brilliant piece use to enter into the folds of university.” 

Bella at his side looks positively giddy at the Dark Lords praise at her work, “Gem, it was amazing how did you manage to keep that brain of yours hidden?”

“No one was looking,” Gem answers her cousin, Severus hand grips her arm tightly. “Subterfuge is the way of those grown in the shadows.”

“Well put, Miss Black.” The Dark Lord compliments again. “There has been some debates on if we should induct you into the Inner Circle or leave you to work in the shadows, when I recalled a situation the first time your name reached my ears over your fears over the Dark Mark.”

There is a meaningful pause in which Bella and Lucius share a luck behind their Lord, Gemini guess it was mostly between them. Severus’s trip tightens again, she is unsure of what he is going to say next so it comes as a surprise.

“From the very nature of the mark, you can not betray me but your fear of the mark itself might cause your magic to reject it branding you a traitor.” He says lightly like it was the weather, “So Severus, one of my most loyal, suggested a vow like Narcissa made when she married Lucius but to him.”

Cissa couldn’t bear the Dark Mark as her requirements to be Lady Malfoy were to strict so she had to take a different path to prove her loyalty. Which weren’t too bad, Cissa’s vows were open enough were her dealings wouldn’t be in danger. Also, would allow her the freedom to play the devils advocate during her studies if she needs too. The implication that the Dark Lord wants to bind her to Severus, which causes her face to hat up a bit. They never really discussed their future beyond the dates they’ve been on. 

“If Severus is agreeable to it, then I don’t mind.” She squeaks out, if this is somehow Severus roundabout plot to find out if she is favorable to marrying him then he is a dead man walking.

Gemini gives the vow, her two cousins are over the moon. Lucius opens the Malfoy Library to her, the Lestrange’s upon Bella prompting offers her the same, and one of the people she doesn’t recognizes introduces himself as Lord Nott and gives her a few books he said she might find useful. She thanks everyone and Severus sweeps her away.

In the privacy of his room and the now familiar bed, she lays in his arms. “Severus, you know if you ask me to marry you I might agree.”

“Might?” His voice sounds amused. “Is that all I get after you’ve bound yourself to me.”

“Yes, haven’t decided if I need to kill you for springing that on me.” She answers seriously, Severus barks out a laugh. “I’m being serious.”

“That’s your brother.” 

“I can’t believe you said that, prat.” She presses a light kiss to his lips, “At any rate, I’m sure you can convince me to be merciful.”

“Oh! can I?” He mocks before doing just that.

Despite her hint, Severus has a breakthrough on his Mastery work and gets pulled into that. Gemini gets pulled into her studies at the university soon after and pushes it from her mind. University was much different from Hogwarts, she can live at home for one and it its the first time she isn’t compared to the rest of her family. Regulus is also living at home, Orion’s rules on eating meals together remain so she magically checks her brother every day. 

She makes friends with an upperclassman McKinnon who excels in Divination, who gives her an idea on how to find the locket. She uses the day after Halloween to divine its location. Gemini suspected that Voldemort will use the same cave with someone else’s house elf, it isn’t like his members lacked them.

She pulls the coordinates, kidnaps Pettigrew forcing him into his rat form and takes him to the cave. Gemini brings him across, the river to the island with the locket. She stuns him and feeds him the potion, grabbing the locket in her pocket and replacing it with the fake one. Gemini forces Peter into a rat and gets them out of the cave without disturbing the inferi. 

Once free form the cave, she takes him to forbidden forest and plays with his memory. Peter came with her because his Animagus form allowed them to travel on the boat together and he willing had taken the potion with unknown effects. She shoved one of Severus’s failed memory potion down his throat for good measure. Then had helped him wash it down with water. She deposited him in the hospital before she floo to Hogwarts to give the Headmaster the final horcux to dispose off. 

Now all she had to do is end the war before Voldemort goes after Harry Potter. At the next Order meeting, James announces Lily’s pregnancy which she offers her congratulations to the soon to be family. They go into hiding soon after, without his best friend Sirius mopes around the Black house at random hours. 

Over Yule, Cissa announces she is three months pregnant to the delight of the entire family. The first ‘proper’ grandchild to the Black family with the exception of Sirius and her. Gemini gets Dora an extra present for Christmas much to bemusement of Andy, Sirius does the same so she’s not alone in it. Cissa invites her to sleep over the manor, with the excuse that her hormones have started kicking in and she misses her which is a polite excuse of there is a meeting today she is being asked to attend. Severus is suspiciously missing from it, so Gemini stands at the back. 

The Dark Lord has invited her because the meeting is one of their political schemes in the ministry. She is ordered to support them with her papers, as part of her mastery Gem has to submit work to several academic journals. Gemini bows and agrees, putting a radical traditional spin on her work is pretty easy.

Soon it’s Regulus and her birthday and they turn 19, she is relieved her twin had died far to young in the books. He looks happy and free with Barty and working in law. It isn’t like their 18th, Sirius is on battlefields and Regulus is in court. The Potters and the Malfoys have gone into hiding. Gemini won’t risk Andy, so she spends the day with Bella in Lestrange library. She complains to Bella she hasn’t seen Severus, who tells her he is on assignment for the Dark Lord. 

Gemini throws herself back into her academics, till to her surprise Regulus forces her into a fancy outfit one afternoon and drags her to a fancy French restaurant in February. She’s sits in the private room, after some time she is all ready to up and leave despite Regulus had made her promise to sit and wait there but she only has so much patience. 

Just as she is about to stand, Severus Snape barges into the room. He is dressed in black dress robes, instead of the normal grease hair it’s neatly tied back in a ribbon. It isn’t bad but unexpected. They don’t usually do fancy outings, favoring more causal settings. 

“Gemini, sorry for my tardiness.” The man drawls as he joins her at the table, “I didn’t mean to leave you alone for so long.”

To her credit, she didn’t deck him but she does debate flipping the table in his face. “Mister Mysterious, what is going on?”

“I missed your birthday and Valentine’s Day,” he smirks at her. “So I thought I’d make it up to you.”

She raises an eyebrow at him, “By making my twin kidnap me from my books? Yes I can see how that makes up for the months you’ve left me alone.”

“Well, I am mysterious you see.” His lips quirk, “Also it took me a while to win the approval of your eldest brother.”

“Sirius knows of us?” Gemini is shocked, also what was this of Sirius approving of them? Sirius hates Severus, it’s like rule one of being Sirius Black.

“Yes, to say he wasn’t pleased by my suit is to put it lightly.” Severus looks like he’s flashing back to what happened. She wonders what Sirius did. “But he ultimately wants you happy and the mutt demanded me make an unbreakable vow. So I hope you don’t want to get rid of me because I vowed to protect you and your happiness for the rest of my life.”

“You idiot.” She said before she can help herself. “What else did he make you do?”

“Perceptive,” he mutters and casts a privacy charm. Which to be fair, Gemini gets Sirius would do a lot for her but the two men’s had a great deal of ideological differences. ‘Protect’ has a lot of leeway. “I may have had a discussion about treating Pettigrew. Imagine my surprise that one of my experimental potion failures had found its way into him from a... mission with you. He will make a full recovery but he will no longer have the last years memories.”

“I see, thank you for helping Peter.” Gemini hides behind politeness but stares above his eyes. 

“Gemini, I can’t help but wonder what kind of ‘mission’ would require you to use one of my potion failures.” Severus looks at her a glint in his eyes, “You have not been an active fighter in the war, there shouldn’t be any missions. Unless, there is something you haven’t told me.”

“There has been things I’ve left unsaid,” she said steeling herself to have to make a break for it. “Which in particular would you like to know?”

“Did he assault you?” He puts bluntly. “Regulus hinted that you are capable of poisoning someone in self defense. I didn’t mention it to Sirius because I’m not sure he would have believed me and accuse me of attempted murder.”

Gemini wants to laugh hysterically, it’s more of she assaulted him but this is the perfect cover but she can’t bring herself to lie to Severus. So she puts her words together carefully, “Peter Pettigrew, is a threat to to those I care about. I won’t risk him putting my family in danger.”

“A threat?” He leans back not quite understanding how such a skittish man would be someone she would consider a threat but not outright dismissing her. 

“Peter is a rat. And rats have been carriers of the plague since ancient times.” She sighs and changes the subject. “Was their anything else Sirius asked of you?”

“No but your Father and Regulus did.” His voice deepening as he answers.

“What did they ask of you?” Exasperated with the men in her life.

Snape reaches into his robe pocket and pulls out a jewelry box. He opens and places it before her, it’s a diamond ring. “The only thing they asked of me was to get your consent, so the only thing left is...will you marry me?”

“I suppose it’s only polite considering the lengths you’ve went through.” She smiles, and gives her hand to him to place the ring, “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

His stern face brightens with a grin at her answer, he pushes the ring on her finger and moves in to place a soft kiss on her lips. “Good, now let me go let your brothers in as they’re all outside the door trying to listen in.”

With a wave of his hand the door opens and three bodies fall into the room cashing into the floor. She sighs, “You are all grown ass men.”

“Hi Gem, fancy seeing you here with Snape. Was there something to didn’t tell me about your mysterious boyfriend?” Sirius said sarcastically from the top of the dog pile manages words first, or possibly the fact he is no shame in being caught spying. 

“Yeah, Siri. Turns out he is a mysterious fiancé.” She answers with a grin at her oldest brother. Barty and Regulus manages to kick him off and pull each other to their feet.

“Congratulations on the engagement!” Regulus grins at her. “Glad you didn’t try to make a break for it.”

Gemini rolls her eyes but the three men join them for a meal. It’s nice they can have this moment in the middle of a war that rages around them and her drowning in books.

-

The Ancestral home of the Black family has always been intimidating but the shadows seem darker knowing Gemini won’t be there to meet him. Instead it is Regulus with Barty at his side, standing in the room with his grey judging eyes. So much like his twin and his older brother, proud and strong in the traditional pureblood sense.

Severus has met every Black of this generation, they’re all beautiful and powerful in their own way. Gemini stands out from her cousins and brothers, hidden and lonely her weapons became words and manipulation. She claims to be the magically weakest of the bunch but that is a twist of her words, he knows she is the least aggressive with her magic but it didn’t need to be. His Gem’s magic is coercive like water, dancing her word play with hidden means and implications. 

“Regulus, thank you for agreeing to meeting with me.” He greets them curtly nodding his head.

“Come, Father and Grandfather are waiting in the office.” Regulus said, leading them to the room.

The two older gentlemen are sitting at the table of the drab room when the enter but it is the younger of the two who speaks first. “Mister Snape, a pleasure. Gemini has spoken fondly of you.” He turns to the elder man, “Father, this is Gemini’s ‘Mister Mysterious.’”

Lord Black laughs, “Of course. Well Mister Snape, Reggie has set up this meeting and it seems a rather deliberate choice for Gemini to be away. What is it you wish to ask of us?”

Well it’s now or never and he begins the words he’s practiced. “I wish to marry Gemini, sir. Her family is very important to her so I’ve come for your blessing.”

Gemini’s Father interjects, “I doubt Gemini wouldn’t marry you, with or without our blessing.”

“I am unsure if she has mentioned this but I am a half-blood, last of the male heirs of the Prince line.” The two older males are taken back by his admission, I suppose they hadn’t expected a half-blood to waltz in here like this. “If Gemini agrees to marry me, it shall fulfill the lines requirements. She and I will become a Prince.” 

“But as I’ve told Gemini, I do not wish to dishonor her and have her banished from her family just for me. So I have come for a blessing.” He finishes, the two men are silent but in thought. It’s not immediate banning from getting near Gemini or from the house.

“The Black Princess would of course find a Prince.” Regulus mutters under his breath, Severus wasn’t sure if he was suppose to hear that. 

Lord Black takes the lead, looking his age. “Gemini was the most overlooked of my Grandchildren, forcefully forgotten about from her mother. She has spent most of her time alone in the library. However, I remember when she was a child always wanting to be read that fairytale ending.It doesn’t come as a surprise that the man she choose for herself would be a Prince, a Half-blood Prince.” 

Severus lips thin at the mimicry of what he use to call himself, unsure on where this is going.

Her father Orion smiles softly, “You have the blessing of the line of Black, Mister Snape. Please make her happy.”

“I would want for nothing less.” He responds, “Thank you.”

Regulus escorts him out of the office soon after, but before they reach the fireplace. He stops him “Regulus, I need to speak with Sirius do you know how I might do that?”

A couple of days later, Regulus and Barty escort him to a meeting with Sirius Black saying they didn’t trust Sirius. Which fair, he didn’t ether but it is odd to be walking to an undisclosed location with his wand hidden with Regulus and Barty maintaining a shield around them.

Sirius Black is standing at a tree flanked by Remus Lupin and James Potter, it’s like they’re at Hogwarts all over again.

“Sirius, you weren’t suppose to bring people with you.” Hisses Regulus.

“Sorry Reggie, wasn’t my choice.” Sirius says lightly. 

“Sirius didn’t bring us, we didn’t leave him alone.” James Potter adds on, like it is suppose to make the situation better some how. “Feel free to ignore us.”

Severus can’t help but note the ring on his finger, he supposes James and Lily have gotten married already. The thought doesn’t hurt as much as it once did, which he supposes is Gemini’s fault. She is so different from Lily, who is bright and fierce. Gemini and Lily are like opposites, almost mirror images of each other. Like a moth to a flame, he trailed after Lily from children to Hogwarts. Opposites attract or so he tried to convince himself when hormones first hit him but the reality is quite different. Gemini is like him, drenched in shadows and wordplay. 

Lily was a dream he once entertained but Gemini is real. Severus wishes to wake up everyday with her in his arms, to see those angry grey eyes melt when he kisses her, and to be the one who she uses to ground herself when that manic panic gets to her like their first kiss in the hallways of Malfoy Manor. For her, Severus will face his childhood bullies.

“Black, I’ve been dating your sister for almost two years and I wish to spend the rest of my life with her.” He states bluntly to the three Gryffindor men.

“You WHAT.” Sirius explodes. Potter and Lupin eyes also widen in surprise.

“I realize this must come as a surprise, Gemini made everyone promise to not tell you because she fears your reaction.” No hexes have hit the shield, so he pushes on. “You are one of the most important people in her life, Black. I asked you to come here to inquire what I can do to acquire your blessing.”

Black looks likes he is ready to foam at the mouth but Potter catches his eye and they communicate that way? Gryffindors have always been strange creatures. “Last we knew, you were in love with Lily? Explain.”

Snape sighs, he supposes he should have expected the question. “Lily is my childhood love, I suppose I will always love her in a way. Gemini is who as an adult I am in love with, I wish to be her husband.”

Potter weighs his words while Black seems to deflate, Lupin the logical one offers “Give us a moment to discuss this, it was most unexpected.” They cast a privacy charm around the three of them, and speak for a few minutes.

“You think they’re trying to decide what to hex me with?” He snarks at Regulus.

“Not sure, Barty will defend us if they do.” Regulus speaks after a moment. “If I had to make a guess they might want a vow out of you.”

The Gryffindors break, Black’s eyes look straight at him, “I want a unbreakable vow.”

Regulus was correct. What the others don’t know is Gemini bound herself to him in front of the Dark Lord, It is only fair that he does as well. He is prepared for such and thing and offers, “What are the terms?”

-

Harry Potter is suppose to be born as the seventh month dies. From her notes, Severus overhears the prophecy the day he was born when there is an interview for the Divination position. Gemini is unaware of why Dumbledore put all his hopes on that but if she can turns the tide of the war before it then maybe, Harry will grow up with his parents.

In March, Gemini ditches classes for an meeting with Dumbledore about the war effort in the orders side. Lately the war against Voldemort has been largely defensive and reactive but she can change that. “Albus, I have gained access to the Dark Mark.”

He doesn’t look surprised but she supposes he is use to her random contributions to the effort. “It is possible for me to lead the Death Eaters into traps so they can be arrested.”

His eyes twinkle, “That is great news. Maybe this is what we need to turn this war around.” 

Sirius and the other Aurors who were members of the Order were called in. Moody looked particularly vicious at laying a trap for the Death Eaters, she makes Sirius promise he shall stay safe. The issue remains of how many they should trap in at a one time, to many and they might be over powered. So they decided on five and set a date three days away.

The night of the trap, Gemini slips into Severus’s house and seduces him. He doesn’t notice when she touches the dark mark on his arm as he is quite distracted by her naked body. The next morning, Sirius informs her of they were successful and she smirks up till the point he asks about the love bite on her neck. 

The Order Aurors and her managed to use this trap four more times till summer comes, Gemini continues her university work and so Severus doesn’t get suspicious spends a lot of time in his home. Every time he complains she is a distraction and threatens to throw her out, she takes a piece of clothing off and he doesn’t kick her out. Despite her, Severus completes his mastery making him the Youngest Potions Master still. 

In June, Cissa gives birth and despite the manor being on lockdown insists Lucius bringing both Severus and her now or else. So the smart husband that he is, brings them both escorting them into the room with Cissa and the newest Malfoy. 

Cissa smiles as they enter, she hands her a young Draco looks like a small potato with blond hair and grayish blue eyes. “Cissa, he has your eyes.”

“Indeed,” Severus agrees over her shoulder, holding a finger for Draco to grab. 

“He does, the Black blood is strong in him.” Cissa smirks at her husband who huffs at her. “Draco needs a godparents and I was hoping the two of you would agree.”

“Of course, Cissa.” Severus agrees as well. Lucius provides the paperwork and they sign right away. 

They leave Malfoy Manor for Severus home soon after so the infant can sleep, Severus is in a quite mood. So Gemini makes dinner for the two of them, when she’s staring the pot he comes up behind and wraps his arms around her. “Severus?”

“What is your opinion on having children one day?” He whispers into her hair, like it’s a secret.

A soft smile blooms on her face, so this is what was on his mind. “Maybe after I get my Mastery? And our wedding of course.” And she ends the war, but she doesn’t say that part aloud.

She spends June and early July planning a wedding for the following winter, there isn’t much to plan. They want a small wedding but between her studies and the war there won’t be much time for her to do much of anything. They plant another trap, they’ve reduced the Dark Lords forces by 25 circle members in total. Moody is keeping a close eye to keep them from escaping, it wouldn’t do much good for the Dark Lord to catch on to the Dark Mark trick.

Gemini anxiety is through the roof by late July and she can’t reasonably explain why so it just boils up. After her magic managed to blow up one of Severus’s cauldrons, Orion insists they should go clean the Black properties in France for two weeks before Gemini blows up anything else.

The house elves of course have kept it clean and following the orders of ‘Future Lord Orion’ refuse to let her do any magic. Severus laughs when he found out what her Father has done. Without anything else to do, he makes sure his fiancé actually relaxes and refuses to discuss anything political.

Once August rolls in and they’re released from France, Sirius tracks her down to tell her the news that James has asked him to be Harry’s Godfather. He’s crying happily and she tells him from experience, he will be the best protector for James’s kid ever.  
Siri looks at her in disbelief before she shows him proof and casts the patronus charm. A white shaggy dog appears wagging its tail trotting around them. 

Dumbledore calls a rather irregular order meeting, she was summoned along side the older members. If she had to call them anything, they were like Lieutenants to Dumbledore’s General. Gemini stand out among them as they all know each other, so she flanks Moody who at least she knows. 

“Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for meeting me on such short notice.” Dumbledore calls out to them, “so far our plans have resulted in significant losses to Lord Voldemort’s with our arrests but we have not yet made any progress on the arrest of Voldemort.”

“We hope to change that today,” Dumbledore pauses for dramatic effect. “We will draw him out, anger him onto revealing himself. You see it has been found he has, certain objects that are valuable to him of historic nature to Hogwarts. So we shall draw him out with an opening of a museum in the papers.”

“And as luck would have it, we have our very own budding historian in the Order.” He indicates to her, “A Miss Gemini Black.”

She stares at the Phoenix on his shoulder, her mind jumping thru possibilities of what she can do to make it happen. Gemini can fake the Horcuxes easy enough, the issue is would be would it inspire Riddle to create more of them if she does. “When and where?”

“Hogsmeade Village, May.” Dumbledore eyes twinkle, “I suspect the school board will be most pleased with you at the helm of the first Hogwarts Museum.” 

“I suspect that as well,” she sighs. “How was I suggested?”

“Sirius, he is most proud of your accomplishment as an rebel academic historian.” Moody cheers, “He brags in the offices a lot.”

“We shall help you every step of the way as well Miss Black.” An older man says, she thinks she has seen him with her grandfather so probably a lord of some sort.

“Alright, then let’s do this.” She scans the room, “let’s bring an end to this war.”

Tomorrow’s her world will be turned upside down, so after the meeting she slips off into Severus’s home. He’s out but that doesn’t stop her from leaving a plate of food for him and tucking herself into his bed. 

The Hogwarts Museum project takes up most of her time, fake or real it will look quite nicely on her resume so her University approves of her request and allows the year to work on it. Going against her nature, she pushes herself into the public eye making a public spectacle of it.

In the first public article, Gemini announces the crowning jewel of the Gryffindor collection is the never before seen goblin certified gauntlet of Godric Gryffindor used in battle, as in a goblin did say it was a gauntlet and inscribe in old script is Gryffindors name and aged to look like it is from the right century. If the goblin in question was a half goblin who works as a Charms Professor, no one needed to know. 

Gemini gets Regulus to be her legal advisor, she is going to have priceless artifacts after all and she makes sure they are insured. Privately, with the exception of some of the portraits everything is a forgery, several things that were straight up fiction. Dumbledore’s man Doge is helpful in creating forgery’s with just a hint of magic to make it seem more, an artificial wow factor. Another man of Dumbledore has a talent for paint and is able to create the scenes she needs to depict. Gemini magically ages things to the correct times, using a rune on the back to lock it in place.

After the months trying to get the museum ready, planning her and Severus’s wedding is a breeze. As traditional for the Prince family, it’s hosted in the Prince gardens and her grandfather in his Lord Black robes officiates their handfasting to the small audience of her father, brothers, Barty, and the Malfoy family. Sirius smiles proudly next too his father and Barty. Regulus and her Father bring out the papers for Severus and her to gain the Prince name, Lucius as a wedding gift expedites there paperwork and within an hour he presents them the notification on their marriage and the Prince title bearing the ministers seal. Cissa gives her a small package with a wink and the hint saying it’s for later. That evening, Severus makes good of that gift.

A rumor is spread that the artifact of Hufflepuff is a cup, lost in the sands of time only to turn up in Hogwarts years later. She forges the insurance paper work in front of Severus one night, Gemini smiles at his questioning stare and explains she is trying to drum up excitement for the Museum. Lost objects make a better story then the a Hufflepuff tapestry, enchanted to inspire loyalty that hung in Hogwarts for years collecting dust forgotten.

The next night he asks about what the Slytherin artifact is going to be, done with playing the Dark Lords game, she presses a kiss to her husbands lips. 

“Severus, I missed you when you were at work today.” She tells him as she is tugging his robes open. 

“Minx,” he gets out before her hands descend on his bare skin. The interrogation of his doesn’t go anywhere after that.

It takes a couple of days of similar actions before he pins her to a wall, “My beautiful Gem, the Dark Lord is demanding me give him an answer as to what the Slytherin artifact is.”

“I don’t have one for Salazar Slytherin, yet my Prince.” She smirks at him, “I do however have something on loan from the Galleria of London’s vault of his most famous student.”

“Oh, and who might that be?” He smirks back at her. 

“Why, Merlin of course.”

Gemini does not have anything of Merlins, she swore all sorts of oaths to the Galleria before being allowed to duplicate Merlins ring on her magic. Dumbledore who opened the door for this to even happen twinkles when the curator demanded her put some sort of flaw upon it and a additional oath to never use her forging skills for ill intent and a job offering for after the war. 

For next trick, she takes a picture taken of her smiling sitting in the Slytherin room of the museum, visibly on the wall behind her is the Slytherin line that becomes the Gaunt line, ending in one Tom Marvalo Riddle listed is his birth year and his death year as 1980. It’s for an announcement for the Grand Opening, it makes the front page news as the Wizarding England is buzzes with excitement. 

The next day Gemini is working on some work in the sitting room when Lucius barges into the Prince Manor, he looks distraught. “Gemini, is it true?”

“Is what true?” Acting confused, she is fairly sure this is about the photo.

“Tom Marvolo Riddle, he is the last of the Slytherin line and he died this year?” Looking a bit like the world is ending.

“Lucius, you know as well as I do that a bloodline chart won’t become public domain till they are all dead.” Gemini tilts her like he finds him stupid for asking. “Is this Tom of some importance to you? Past Lover?”

He chokes, “No, Gemini. Nothing of the sort.” 

“Current Lover? Do I need to tell Cissa? I told her your hair was far too nice.” She is

“No, I swear.” He regains some composer from when he barbed into the manor. “Gemini Prince, did you know the Dark Lord claims to be the last of the Slytherin line.”

“That is what Bella tells me.” Gemini outs lightly, “I honestly didn’t expect my request for a bloodline chart to have succeed but I put one in for each founder.”

“Exactly, which means the Dark Lord is lying.” Lucius voices his suspicions. “Blood Magic would not have made a mistake.”

“I don’t believe, the Dark Lord is lying Lucius.” She tells him gently, “It might be that he is Tom Riddle and has done something that would lead the magic to believe he is dead? There are dark arts that may do that.”

“That may be even worst.” Her cousin in law sits in the armchair, in distress. “Riddle isn’t a pureblood name.”

“Oh. That would mean.” She begins and trails off letting him come to his own conclusions.

“He is a half-blood and used the pureblood ideology as a rally point only for power. Like Severus, it would have been possible to regain his pureblood name but he never did.” His blue eyes flick to her, “It did strike us odd that he had been pseudo name, your paper about the power of names last year. Did you know?”

“No.” Gemini lies, “So where do we go from here? It isn’t an outrageous thought that he will try to kill us for knowing the truth.”

“We run.” He states softly, before it hardens as reality hits him, “He can trace us thru the Dark Mark though. You have the only other copy of the spell book he had used to create the mark, is it possible to get rid of it?”

Her grey eyes take in the seriousness of the request. “I can.”

Lucius kneels before her and extends his left arm to her, the dark mark visible. Gemini’s dark brown wand presses the tip to the Mark and with a tinge of pain the tattoo fades away leaving only a pail hand. He gasps in disbelief at the ease in which it was done. “It’s gone.”

“Ask Cissa to take you to a Black property on the continent.” She tells him, “You are the father of my godchild, Lucius. Protect him.”

“I will,” he vows. “I would like to apologize for the deception Gemini, but I am not the only one who had pieced together the idea.” In shock, she casts a shield around her but he just flick off his cane wand at the wall, revealing Lord Nott and Rabastan Lestrange.

“We also wish to have our marks removed,” Lord Nott steps forward, “I have no will to follow a psychotic half-blood.”

“I see, and you Rabastan?” Gemini’s mind working on plans, there is something Lord Nott can do?

Rabastan looking as handsome as he did at Hogwarts, “My father is aware of who the Dark Lord really is, I never really had a choice till right now and I’d like to make the right one.”

Gemini looks at the man she could have been married off too, she supposes she was blinded by what he would do in the books to see him for who he truly is. “Alright, but I won’t do it for free. Lucius is family, you two are not.”

Lord Nott raises an eyebrow, “What are your demands?”

“Nott, you heard of my husbands research that was recently rejected funding from he guild? I’d like you to offer him a grant.” She said impassively, “I need Severus home and the stubborn man won’t just take my money to fund his research.”

“Consider it done.” Lord Nott was a known philanthropist, it wasn’t anything out of character or beyond his means to do so. Honestly, Gemini couldn’t have picked a better patron for her husband if she tried. He would also be able to hide in his manor as he had been for a while, there were many rumors about that. Gemini knew however, Lord Nott’s son Theo must have been born. 

“Good.” She offers her hand to him and he gives he his marked arm, and with touch of her wand it fades just like Lucius. She lets his arm go and he trials the arm looking for evidence of what once was there. 

Gemini turns her grey eyes to Rabastan, he looks at her uneasy at what she could ask him. “Rabastan, how good are your glamour charms?”

“Fairly good, why do ask?” Bella had mentioned in one of many rants that Rabastan was being trained to spy in the ministry, blend in and out of crowds with a flick of magic. 

“Would you mind working as my assistant for the museum?” She asks bluntly, “I’ve been running myself ragged with responsibilities for it and we only have three months till opening.”

Rabastan considers it, “Alright, what does being your assistant detail?”

“We’ll talk about it privately after I take care of your tattoo.” Gemini removes his dark mark, and she dismisses Lucius and Nott. 

Getting Rabastan to be her assistant was a one of her best ideas, the Lestrange vault held many of the founders artifacts and he was easily able to duplicate them from memory. He also got a good laugh when she mentioned everything in the exhibits had been faked. Apparently, Rabastan had been present for one of meetings where the Dark Lord had expressed frustration at just where was she finding these things. She let him take the helm of the exhibits.

Moody and Dumbledore helped plan out the actual security of the building and how they were going to trap Riddle once he walked into the museum. The wards of the building was something to marvel at, when she asked about it Dumbledore whimsically said something about old friends and dragons. To enter the building, one must have a ticket that resembled the 9 ¾ train tickets purchased at a ticketing booth. If anyone broke the ward it was Dumbledore was immediately notified and triggered the secondary ward which shutdown the building. 

Something of an idea based of muggle museums or rather movies, Gemini had installed in every hallway a red laser that when triggered surrounded the artifacts. It did nothing but hide the shield charms and anti thief alerts focal points. She had also charmed one way mirrors with monitoring charms, to display on a huge mirror in the underground security bunker with the orders Aurors. 

It was exhausting and for a good month she’d come home and just collapse on Severus where ever he was. Usually in his lab since the research grant with Nott came through, he would just carry her to their bedroom making sure she ate before she slept. She had frequent nightmares, mostly over Severus finding out the truth or him being killed. 

Most nights when she wakes up drenched in sweat and her heart pounding, he just holds her close and mummers sweet nothings. Severus knew she kept secrets and held most things close to her chest even from him, the closest person to her. 

“Gem, why can’t you just tell me what haunts your dreams?” He asked her a month before the opening one night after she woke up screaming his name. “How can I protect you if I don’t have all the information.”

“I love you,” Gemini stares at the hook of his nose, “I’m afraid of you leaving me.”

“Gem, I swore I would never do that. You’re stuck with me forever, always.” He smiles at her, “I am after all your Prince.”

“My Prince” she mutters, his tone of always ringing in her head. A reality away he used that word to describe his love for Lily and now he is using it for her. A tear escapes her eye, “I have much to tell you, please don’t be too mad.”

“Black Madness grips even the most sane of us, mine manifested upon birth. A history of knowledge shoved into my head with the desperate need to protect my brothers but that number grew to include Cissa and you. Regulus was destined to die at 18 and Sirius at 36. To protect Sirius and Regulus, I’ve started working on taking down the Dark Lord at age 11.” He doesn’t say anything but his dark eyes judge her words.

“I murdered Walburga, only Regulus suspected. I had no idea about the potions she had been feeding my father, to change his destiny I needed him to not take the Dark Mark. For Sirius, I made the Dark Lord mortal.” His breath hitches at that. “In the future foresaw, Wormtail was the betrayer and I took care of it. For Cissa, I brought her husband back to her, I ripped the Dark Mark from his arm.”

Gemini, who once held a different name, trembles a bit. “When it came to you I didn’t mean to but I stole your destiny. Severus Snape was meant to die the bravest of heroes, a martyr, a spy with a lifetime of pain and unrequited love for Lily. But I was selfish I had decades of loneliness stuck in my head, so when you expressed interest in me I couldn’t resist.”

Unwilling a tear slid down her face, breaking the spell of her story and he took her into his arms. She clung to him, his warmth, the weight of what she has done lingers in the back. The things she hasn’t told him yet but he has asked her nightmares. 

“My beautiful strong Gem,” he whispers into her hair and tightens his grip on her. “I am not a man who lives in the what if’s or with dreams of being a hero. Whatever fate you tore me away from, nothing could compare to having this. I swore I will protect you and I will even from the madness of your blood or the loneliness in your soul.”

He loosens his grip to catch her lip in a soft kiss, “So hear me Gemini Prince, you are mine for a eternity. Always and forever.”

Wrapped up in each other, Gemini spilled her secrets into the night sky while his long fingers made patterns on her back.

The last month was a lot less stressful since she didn’t need to tiptoe around Severus, he also insisted on keeping the dark mark for now so he could gather information for her. She passed it on to Dumbledore, who frowned the Dark Lord was planning on waiting till after the grand opening which wouldn’t do. He needed to be mad, so Gemini asked Rabastan to spread a rumor about Ravenclaws diadem a week before the Grand Opening. 

Gemini knew the Dark Lord had found out as Severus had been summoned immediately, the emergency pocket had to be used. She levitated him to the hospital wing at Hogwarts for order members and took his mark off. It was too dangerous to bring him anywhere else, he was in a medical induced coma till the swelling of his brain went down. She slept in the chair at his side, but she had much work to do.

Dumbledore insisted Sirius be her personal bodyguard for the last appearance before the opening. The Dark Lord was hunting for her, her Grandfather locked down all Black properties. Regulus and Barty were with her father in their home, they were confused but willing to stay in the house for a while. The last appearance was a radio interview, talking about the various exhibits they could expect to see.

Bella, her beautiful cousin lead the attack on the radio station. The station workers had been replaced with Order members and Aurors because of the risk and no one wanted to risk innocents. Sirius cursed Bella before she could get up the anti-aperation ward and got Gemini out of there, but not before Gemini saw the betray in Bella’s eyes. The battle had been fierce, 5 Aurors died but they arrested 10 Death Eaters including Bella. 

Then it was showtime, she pressed a kiss to Severus’s lips and walked out to the destiny of her own creation.

-

There wasn’t many things he regrets, but not having been a proper Father for his children is one of them. Orion Black stands hiding in the crowd of people for the grand opening of his daughters latest creation. The Hogwarts Museum is going to go down in the Black Family books.

His only daughters black hair is tied behind her head at the podium of the stage commanding the crowd, his oldest son stands at her side. His heart sings in pride, his oldest the rebel of the family follows what he told him all those years ago, to protect his sister.

With a crack, the Dark Lord appears with what is left of the Death Eaters. The dark robes and white masks close ranks but the crowd of people hold and a battle breaks out. 

Orion keeps his grey eyes trained on his children, slipping thru spells and bodies.

“Hello, Tom.” His daughter greets the Dark Lord, fearlessly and strong like they’re out for tea and not a battle. “A pleasure to see you again.” 

Sirius tenses at her back but defects a curse tossed at them and fires one of his own. Dumbledore appears on the stage and a duel begins, the two greatest wizards of their time and two of his children. 

The Dark Lord tosses a killing curse at his children, Gemini tackles Sirius and they tumble as it flies above them. Distracted he casts another at them, Orion sees red and defects it. Dumbledore looks surprised at his appearance but he doesn’t notice. Orion, has never used this spell before but right now the Black Madness makes up for it.

“Avada Kedavra” and the green spell leaves his wand. He thinks of the grey eyes of his son a rebel without a cause with a heart of gold, holding his younger son in his arms as he cried thru the night, and the daughter who smiled so bright the day of her wedding. Love is powerful and Orion loves his family more then anything. 

It hits and the Dark Lord falls over.

“Father!” Sirius yells shocked in the distance.

He will protect his children.

-

They all watch as the Dark Lord falls, Sirius runs to father while Gemini casts shield charm after shield charm a bit shocked. A bit hysterical, after everything. It was Orion Black who killed Lord Voldemort, the world is mad. 

Behind them, Dumbledore takes control of the situation the death of their lord sending the Death Eaters into chaos and the Order and the Aurors take them down easily. Remus leads the three of them away back to Hogwarts, to the hospital wing, they’re looked after by the healers before Gemini finds herself in front of Severus who is awake and she smiles brightly. “It’s done.”

It isn’t till the next day she sees the museum has some damage from the final battle but it is mostly intact. Gemini repairs what she can and adds some additions, it needs to be ready for the public after all. 

This stage is real, Dumbledore introduces her and she smiles as cameras click away. She sees her family in the front row, Severus in very nice black robes and a soft smile sits next to her two Brothers, Grandfather, and her Father. Cissa, Lucius, and little Draco behind sit behind them along with Andy’s family and the Potters. The countless members of the order and the Aurors behind them, students milling around in the back. 

Gemini smiles and wields the magic she has known her entire life, words. “A week ago, a great battle took place on these very grounds against Lord Voldemort and he was defeated. You see, the Hogwarts Museum Project did what it intended to do and draw out the one who could not let history go. We made a page in the footnote of history and I’d like to first congratulate everyone for their contribution.”

“It is my hope that the Hogwarts Museum will see a means beyond the original purpose and last for future generations. Winston Churchill once said ‘Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it’ and I believe those words to be true. So I shall tell you the story of Lord Voldemort.”

“Voldemort’s real name was Tom Riddle, a half-blood orphan who say the magic and history of Hogwarts and said I want.” Gemini grey eyes scan the crowd, “I will be the first to tell you the pursuit of history is not a bad thing, but it is our choices of what we do with it that matter the most. Tom Riddle could have chosen different, but he did not.”

“The fall of the Dark Lord Voldemort happened because we decided that we would not let terror define our choices for our friends, our families, or the future.” She opens her arms, “So it is my absolute pleasure to welcome you to the Hogwarts Museum on this fine day.”

\- Fifteen Years later

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley trails behind Hermione Granger walking into the famous Hogwarts Museum for the memorial for the day of the final battle.

“I am so excited, we get to see Gemini Prince!” Hermione squeals, “I absolutely love her work and it was so helpful coming from the muggle world.”

“We know, Mione.” Ron rolls his eyes, “You’ve told us a million times.”

“I still don’t understand, it’s my Aunt Gem.” Harry crosses his arms, “She’s the one who taught me how to aim a paintball gun at Sirius as a prank.”

“I knew it was on purpose!” Sirius exclaims as James Potter laughs into his wife’s shoulders. 

Lily just shrugs him off, coming up to the kids. “Harry, you have some dirty on your cheek.”

“Mooommm,” Harry whines as she tries to get it off. “You’re going to embarrass me.”

“Uncle!” A voice calls out before launching itself at Sirius, “You’re not a women!”

“You really need to stop believing every word, Angel says nephew.” Sirius groans prying the 8 year old Rigel Orion Black off his back, he was the son of Regulus and Barty. Named after his famous a Grandfather who passed not to long ago the poison degrading his body faster then natural.

“You were dressed like a women last time I saw you to be fair, Uncle.” First year Angel Prince joins the group chasing after her cousin. 

“That was your Mother’s fault!” Sirius growls. “What is this pick on Sirius day.”

“I hate to break it to you but that’s every day, cousin.” Nymphadora Tonks walks in followed closely by Narcissa and Draco. 

“Cousin, he’s just jealous he’s from the other side of the Black line.” Draco tells the metamorphosis.

“True, we even have James!” Tonks claims.

“That isn’t how that works!” 

“Harry, it never fails to astonish me that you know so many famous people.” Hermione whispers to him. 

“Trust me, most have seen me running around in my dippers and never fail to remind me. The awe goes away real quick.” Harry mutters back and Ron nods his head in agreement. 

Admittedly, he only go to know them once Harry and him became friends in primary school but once Rigel accidentally tugs your trousers down in front of Headmaster Dumbledore you don’t go back. 

“You were adorable, Mister Potter and I’ll never let you forget it.” Gemini Prince announces her presence and ruffling his hair. Severus Prince her husband looming behind her. 

“Mom! Dad!” Angel bounces over to her parents hugging her Father. I’ve missed you!”

“The house has been surprisingly quiet without you,” Severus smiles at his daughter. “But we miss you too.”

“Well shall we get this started?” Gemini smiles at her family.

**Author's Note:**

> I do not recommend opening a museum based on forgeries. Dumbledore and Rabastan do not comment on how the museum got so many things and they all bring it to their graves.
> 
> I imagine two hundred years later the curator figures it out and sighs that they have to rewrite the books again and curses Gemini’s name.


End file.
